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Yesterday & Tomorrow

In my years of being both a student of and participant in the political life of this country, I never thought I would see anything akin to yesterday’s actions and performance by Doug Ford.

Amid the chaos and uncertainty that he’s created, he accuses others of dysfunction.

In the name of “the people,” he overrides freedoms and protections.

And while reminding us that he’s the Premier, he practices a small, personal and vengeful politics unbefitting of the office he holds.

As your Member of Parliament and the Urban Affairs Critic for my Party, I defended cities in the House of Commons but never the status quo. I put forward an agenda for change - an agenda that was about building into our cities and neighbourhoods the kind of infrastructure that we depend on for a good life.

And in that role, talking to Mayors and Councillors across this country–including here at home in Toronto–nobody ever suggested that too much representation was a problem. Nobody ever declared that making their City Council more inaccessible to residents was a solution!

The solutions to a better life in the city have always been about working together and building, not about tearing things down.

Door after door, day after day, what I know to be true is re-confirmed by the residents of this Ward. We need transit. We need both affordable and supportive housing. We need childcare. We need safer streets. And we need to get on with it.

I am here to move forward on these issues to help make this City a more liveable and loveable place for all of us. And in doing so, I will be here to defend our city from the kind of abuse Doug Ford continues to visit upon us.

The job begins by lifting up our politics. It begins by treating each other decently, respectfully and getting things done together for others. When we do that, when we lift up our politics and get things done...then we lift up each other.

This has been my objective since entering public life and I will not be deterred by Doug Ford.

For 22 years I have been a member of this community. I’ve served on a daycare board and parent council. I’ve served as coach and manager of local hockey teams. I’ve served with local environmental groups and a local refugee resettlement group. I’ve served as a Member of Parliament, and I’ve served meals to the homeless in the dead of winter.

Now more than ever we need someone with experience and conviction to serve this Ward at City Hall.